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DC shooting: Victim Sarah Milgrim's friend remembers her as a ‘smart, kind’ person, ‘Spoke with her just 8 days ago…’
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, told HindustanTimes.com that Sarah Milgrim was her “friend through climate work.”
A friend of Capital Jewish Museum shooting victim Sarah Milgrim has paid an emotional tribute to the Jewish American employee at the Israeli Embassy in the US. Sarah was killed alongside her fiance, Yaron Lischinsky, when suspect Elias Rodriguez opened fire.
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, told HindustanTimes.com that Sarah was her “friend through climate work.” In a LinkedIn post, Jennifer described the murders as “an antisemitic political assassination,” and described Sarah as a “smart, kind” person who “was passionate about building a sustainable future.”
Jennifer revealed in her post that she recently attended an Earth Day and climate event organized by Sarah. “The event was with Israel's Chaim V'Svivah (Life & the Environment) and outlined key climate challenges, solutions and nonprofit groups in Israel. They did a terrific job. Sarah was full of life and enthusiasm for doing good in the world,” she wrote.
She added, “Separately, I spoke with Sarah just 8 days ago on another climate topic. My heart goes out to all who loved Sarah and her fiancé. May their memories be a blessing always.”
Remembering Sarah and Yaron, Jennifer wrote, “Right now Israelis are in the bomb shelters as they are under attack. Innocent people are suffering in Gaza. When will Hamas release the rest of the hostages and when will this war be over?”
‘There are responsible ways to criticize Israeli policies’
In a follow-up LinkedIn post, Jennifer expressed her disappointment in “many groups that had previously spoken out against hate crimes against other communities” after the October 7 Hamas attack but were “heartbreakingly silent about the mass murder, rapes, torture, and kidnappings committed in Israel.” “This included, sadly, some hashtag #disability and #womens organizations I had worked closely with. Their silence was not just painful — it was dangerous. It signaled that the lives of Israelis didn’t matter. That void was quickly filled with hate,” Sarah, co-founder of theMizrahi Family Charitable Fund (DAF), added.
“What followed were not just omissions, but harmful distortions — some out of ignorance, others fueled by antisemitism or anti-Zionism,” she further said. “Today, as we mourn Sarah and Yaron, we must also speak truth. There are responsible ways to criticize Israeli policies. But that must never include lies, incitement, or erasing the humanity of innocent people.”
Meanwhile, in an article in The Times of Israel, Jennifer described Sarah as “a young, passionate, and brilliant environmental advocate.” “Sarah truly embodied the Jewish value of tikkun olam—repairing the world. Her loss is devastating not only to her family and friends but to the entire global environmental and Jewish communities. We mourn not only the vibrant life that was stolen but also the future she was helping to build. Her boyfriend was a devout Christian who, like Sarah, was a true visionary,” she added.
Sarah and Yaron were soon set to get engaged. The suspect, Rodriguez, who was heard chanting “free Palestine” after carrying out the deadly shooting, is reportedly in custody.
